


Stars Above

by Wolfcry22



Series: The Exhausted Mind of Poe [8]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Nightmares, Poe Dameron Has PTSD, Poe Dameron Hurts So Prettily, Poe Dameron Is A Mess, Poe Dameron Needs A Hug, Poe Dameron Whump, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Resistance, Stargazing, X-Wing(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:00:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23114338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfcry22/pseuds/Wolfcry22
Summary: When Poe wakes up from one of his nightmares in a panic, Finn decides to try and make it better by taking Poe to go stargazing.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn
Series: The Exhausted Mind of Poe [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1605424
Comments: 1
Kudos: 46





	Stars Above

**Author's Note:**

> I thought we could all use a little bit of a lighter note to this series, especially with everything that is happening in the world right now. It still deals with Poe’s PTSD, but Finn is able to comfort Poe in a less conventional way. There isn’t a lot that’s more calming than looking up at the stars and, as a pilot, I’m sure that Poe would enjoy it.

Finn awoke to a sobbing mess of a man beside him. His brain immediately fought through all the fuzzy thoughts as he propped up on his elbows and leaned forward to see Poe curled up almost in a ball as he faced away from Finn, whimpering and quivering with his hands drawn over his face. Finn frowned in alarm as he rested a hand on Poe’s shoulder in an attempt to shake him ever so slightly. “Poe, Poe?” 

Poe suddenly sucked in a massive breath as his hands fell from his eyes as he partially turned to look over his shoulder at Finn. “F-Finn,” he stammered in surprise before letting out a heavy sniffle. His cheeks were still wet with tears and red from the crying he had been doing. 

Finn nodded slowly, hoping that Poe could see him in the darkness of their room. “Yeah, it’s me,” he murmured softly. He lifted the hand that was on Poe’s shoulder and brushed his thumb over Poe’s cheek to brush the tears aside gently. “You okay? Was it another nightmare?” 

Poe sniffled before shaking his head. “No, not this time. I was just so scared and I don’t know why. I’m sorry to wake you. Go back to bed,” he rambled as he tried to shrug Finn off.

Finn wasn’t one to be easily deterred. He thought for a moment about how difficult things had been for Poe. He had terrifying panic attacks, flashbacks that left him confused and angry, and the nightmares that disrupted his sleep. It was rare that he was able to focus on this since he was General of the Resistance. It was only in his room, with Finn, or with his support group did he ever show his true emotions, thoughts, or feelings. It usually came out in emotional outbursts or Poe shutting down entirely. Finn felt that whatever was happening with Poe was a combination of both of them.

An idea suddenly sprang into Finn’s mind. He grunted a she jumped over Poe and landed on the ground, jolts traveling up his feet and into his legs. “Come with me,” he instructed as he walked over to the closet and grabbed some flannel pants. He usually slept in his boxers, but he was sure that no one else had to see him like that. 

Poe sniffled heavily as he sat up with his head tilted in confusion. His hair was sticking up in unruly tufts while his face was in desperate need of a shave. His usually bright brown eyes were dull and lifeless as well as deeply haunted. He gazed to Finn questioningly as he checked the time, realizing that it was the middle of the night. “Where,” he rasped.

Finn stumbled forward as he hunched over to pull the pants overs his legs. He tightened the strings around his waist as he started toward the door. “You’ll see. Let’s go!”

Poe grunted as he threw the covers off of himself as he sat up. His legs dangled over the side of the den before he pulled socks onto his feet and laced up his boots after he put them on. He reluctantly stood with his muscles yowling in protest. He continued forward with his mind swirling around fearfully. 

Finn stretched out his hand toward Poe in the darkness. Poe didn’t hesitate to reach out his own hand and grasp Finn’s. Finn gave Poe’s hand a reassuring squeeze before opening the door to their room. The two of them made their way forward and into the bright hallway. Poe had to squint his eyes against the iridescent lights that hummed overhead. “Where are we going,” he repeated as Finn started to lead him forward again.

“You’ll see,” chided Finn as he skipped forward excitedly.

Poe didn’t question Finn, but he was a little fearful of where Finn would be taking him. It was the middle of the night and he wasn’t exactly thrilled to be leaving his room, even though he hadn’t been sleeping for hours. Poe supposed that it felt good to walk with just Finn and listen to the silence of the base. That rarely happened since someone was always awake. Now, there would only be a few Resistant members on patrol and they were always quiet at this hour. It was always the introverts that were on watch at night since they preferred to be on their own.

Finn led Poe out of the bunker that they lived in and took him toward one of the paths that led into the forest. It was lit with a few lights that were secured to the bunker and those bunkers around them. It was crisp outside and Poe felt that he could fully breathe without taking in all the recycled air. Poe rarely had time to just take a walk outside to clear his head without someone coming up to him. It also didn’t help that Finn didn’t let him go anywhere without himself or one of the droids accompanying him. Poe understood, but it could be frustrating at even the best of times.

The two walked down the path and away from the bunkers with lights that showed them where to go. Poe heard a snap of something in the woods and he immediately gripped his free hand around Finn’s arms as he pressed closer to him. “What was that,” Poe whimpered.

“It’s alright. I brought my blaster, but I’m sure that it’s nothing,” he reassured in the usual strong tone that made Poe believe that Finn was going to take care of him. 

They made their up the path to a small break in the forest where a small meadow was. Finn pulled Poe over before crouching down and laying on his back with his arms rested behind his head. Poe lowered down beside him as he looked up, trying to figure out what Finn was doing.

“What do you see,” questioned Finn softly.

Poe wasn’t quite sure what Finn meant. He set his jaw as he gazed upward. “Um, the stars, I guess,” he responded slowly. 

Finn nodded encouragingly. “That’s right. You know, when I was a First Order trooper, I used to love being able to see the stars from a planet’s surface. It always used to calm me. I loved tracing the stars to make pictures and then I would come up with stories for them. Did you ever do that?”

A deep ache seemed to settle in Poe’s heart. He closed his eyes to keep anymore tears from rolling down his face. “I remember my mother letting me stay up late to see the stairs. She would hold me close and point to her favorite constellations.” He then paused as he craned his head to stare at Finn. “Is that why you brought me here? To show me the stars?”

“Well, when you put it like that it doesn’t sound as interesting,” Finn joked. When he didn’t hear Poe laugh, he quickly continued. “I just thought that coming out here and looking up at these stars would do you better than staying in your bed. Besides, it’s kind of like a date night.”

Just the fact that Finn would think of this warmed Poe’s heart. He couldn’t help but smile as he shifted forward and rested his head on Finn’s chest. Finn pulled his arms from under his head before reaching forward and hugging Poe close. He lowered his head and planted a kiss on the top of Poe’s head. He could smell the sweet shampoo that Poe used in his hair and he longed to never pull his face away from Poe again.

“It reminds me of being in my X-Wing,” Poe suddenly explained.

Finn rested his head back on the grass as he struggled not to flinch. Poe had been grounded since he had been deemed to be a potential hazard to himself if he flew alone. A flashback or panic attack could happen at anytime with little to no warning and there would be no one to assist Poe if it happened while he was flying. Poe had tried to make a case that BB-8 was with him, but Finn didn’t want to put Poe’s life in BB-8 hands if he could help it. That just wasn’t fair to the orange and white droid. Poe knew that, but it had still been difficult for him to give up his X-Wing for more mundane General tasks. They were important. They just weren’t where Poe’s heart truly lied.

“Is that a good thing,” Finn dared to ask. Nervousness and apprehension weighed on Finn as he waited for Poe to answer him.

It only took Poe a moment before he nodded his head against Finn’s chest. “It’s a very good thing. I may not be able to bring myself into the stars, but you brought the stars to me. It’s almost as good as being in my X-Wing,” Poe announced.

A smile appeared on Finn’s face. He hadn’t heard Poe this happy in months. “I’m glad to hear it. It’s calming, I think.”

Poe blinked his eyes as he watched the shimming stars above him. It reminded him just how vast the universe was and how small they really were. Yet, even being just a speck in this universe, he had been able to find Finn. It had been pure chance, once in a lifetime occurrence, but it had happened. Poe was thankful everyday that it had. He wasn’t sure where he would be without Finn in his life. He loved the former Stormtrooper with everything that he had and Finn had proven time and time again he would do anything for Poe. Even when Poe’s mind had began to take on new challenges and he made things difficult between him and Finn, the former Stormtrooper hadn’t wavered in his affection for the Resistance Pilot. If anything, it seemed to strengthen their relationship. 

Finn yawned with Poe yawning after him. Both were exhausted, but neither one suggested that they go back to their bunker or their room. If anything, it made them want to stay out more. 

It wasn’t a fix it for anything. They would have to go back eventually and back to their room and busy lives. Finn was well aware of this, but for now he didn’t want to think about it. For now they could stay where they were, under a blanket of stars, with each other for company. It wouldn’t solve everything, but it made for a better night.

**Author's Note:**

> This story wasn’t as angsty as they usually are. It was a joy to write a little lighter of a story while still keeping with the theme. I’d like to write some more of these lighter stories to be interwoven with the more serious stories. We will see if that be a possibility sometime soon.


End file.
